Too Close
by MerielTLA
Summary: Falling in love with your best friend was never easy, good thing Bruce was excellent at contingency plans involving feelings. Too bad his mom thought his plans were bullshit. Or What will happen if Bruce only lost his Dad that day in the theater? Superbat!


And it feels like I am just too close to love you,

There's nothing I can really say.

I can't lie no more, I can't hide no more,

Got to be true to myself.

And it feels like I am just too close to love you,

So I'll be on my way.

– Too Close by Alex Clare

"You're glaring."

"No, I'm not."

"Bruce, I have to tell you that you are a terrible liar when you don't put your mind into it." Diana sighed before rolling her eyes. "Care to tell me why the sudden hate towards boy scouts?"

"I'm just tired and the kid was standing right in my line of sight." I told her passing a hand through my face. "Work has been crazy…literally." I huffed a humorless laugh.

"Has the joker been bothering you again?" I gave her a tired nod. It wasn't a complete lie, the crazy psychopath had been around for the last couple of days, but him I could handle, what I couldn't handle was…

"And how's Clark?" I narrowed my eyes. I should've known she was about to ask about him. She had probably spoken to Clark and found out that I was…sort of…avoiding him.

Fucking Boy Scout.

"Haven't seen him." I shrugged.

"Oh I know that." I didn't need to see her to know she was giving me an evil smirk.

"Then why do you ask?"

"Just to see you try to be nonchalant about him, it's quite entertaining." I groaned having the urge to plant my face against the table. I did not need this, my plan was working!

Or at least, I was beginning to fool myself into believing that.

She could not come here and bring things back, she could not just invite me some coffee and have me…make me…accept it.

"What do you want Diana?" I snapped. I hated talking to her like that, it could result in a serious beating from her part, but I was not in the mood for this. I couldn't start thinking about him again.

"Just tell me, why are you avoiding your best friend?" I pressed my lips together unable to voice the answer to that question.

"Diana, you are one of my closest friends and I love you, but this it's not your business." I stood up and pulled out my wallet. "I promised my mom I would have dinner with her. I'll see you later." I kissed her cheek and walked out of the café without leaving her time to stop me. It all had been great until she had decided to meddle in things that I was not prepared to bring out. I got into my car and started driving without a clear destination in mind. I hated lying to Diana.

" _Dad, seriously stop stalling!" I stopped in my tracks hearing the annoyed voice of one of the other freshmen that was struggling with their things as they moved into the Metropolis University dorms. I turned to see a black haired, plaid wearing guy that had the most annoyed expression while he looked at the man in front of him, a man that had watery eyes and a big smile on his face._

" _Son, just look at it! MU! We made it!"_

" _Yeah, and now we have to keep moving, I don't want to get late to the orientation, just come on!" I felt the urge to kick that idiot. There he was, screaming at his father for being emotional and excited about him while I…while I turned my back on them wishing for things that I could never have._

 _Out of my mother's advice. I had decided to stay away from Gotham for a while. Away from the pressure of taking over Wayne Enterprises, away from the fake pity of the rich…I needed a little normal in my life. And even if Metropolis was right next to Gotham, MU was also the home of the Luthors and other wealthy families from the city, thanks to that, no one cared about the loner Wayne guy getting into school._

' _Your father and I always wanted to help our city, you don't have to do the same thing as us to honor his memory. He would be proud of you being whatever you want to be.' With those words in mind, I had enrolled in MU to study psychology and Criminal law, then I would go into the Gotham police department and become the best detective they could hope for. That was the way I would help. The way I would make my city better and try to outcome the rage that my father's death had ignited inside me._

" _ID number 234521." I told the girl in the orientation desk. She glanced at me before typing the ID and taking a key from the rack. "Knock yourself out."_

" _Thanks." I took the dorm key and a freshman manual before I walked to what it would be my housing for the next years. Yeah, I had enough money to have something private. Hell, I could buy the whole school. But Alfred had been the one suggesting that maybe living among the students was the way to go, that being among people was the best way to understand their behaviors. He was right as usual, I just hoped that I wouldn't get someone too annoying as a roommate._

 _I sighed seeing the small room. It was functional, modest and the bookcase could probably hold most of the paperbacks I brought with me. I could make it work. I pulled out my phone and dialed my mother's number._

" _I moved in."_

" _Good to hear that darling." I could hear her smile. "Have you searched for possible diners? We both know that cooking won't be an option for you."_

" _If I can mix dangerous chemical compounds, I think I could follow a recipe." I rolled my eyes while putting my bag on the bed. "I also know how to make my bed, I learned to do it all by myself."_

" _I'll tell Alfred to stop fretting so much then, he's been squeamish ever since you left." I chuckled picturing our ever collected butler being squeamish._

" _I have to start unpacking."_

" _Has your roommate arrived yet? Do you know who he is?"_

" _Not yet and no."_

" _Well let me know as soon as you can. Good night son. I miss you already and I'm so sorry I couldn't be there with you today."_

" _It's okay mom." I told her hating that Martha Wayne appearing at MU would stir some drama. She was the most powerful woman in the city and everyone would recognize her on sight. Being that much in the spotlight had made her try to keep me away from the public eye and while I couldn't skip every gala around, I stayed mostly unnoticed._

" _See, I told you we were going to make it!" I turned to the door only to see the man from before opening the door with his son in tow._

 _Fun-fucking-tastic, farm-boy seemed to be my new roomie._

" _Oh! Hello! I'm Jonathan Kent." The man raised his hand towards me._

" _Bruce." I spoke shaking it. "Nice to meet you." I turned to look at plaid-guy and found myself trapped by a pair of unreal blue eyes._

" _Oh hey! I'm Clark your new roommate" He waved looking like an idiot. Well, it could've been worse._

" _Yeah, I gathered that." I raised an eyebrow and he frowned before sighing and shaking his head._

 _Yeah, I didn't like you either._

" _Well I should be going now. I wouldn't want my old man meddling while I make new friends." I huffed. As if. I just hoped that farm-boy wouldn't bother me much. "I hope we see each other again Bruce." He clapped my back in a friendly matter before going to hug his son. "I'm proud of you." I heard him say and I had to turn around and busied myself in unpacking. Normally, I was awkward enough with PDA's, but father-son bonding times were just too painful to be close._

" _I will visit you as soon as I can. I love you dad and tell mom that I already miss her." My movement slowed down hearing real emotion in plaid's words. Maybe he did know what he had in life. "Bye." I heard the door close behind Jonathan._

 _Awkward silence fell inside the room. This was not going to work._

I smiled to myself remembering that first meeting. Oh how foolish I had been to judge him for that interaction but things had ran its course and soon enough I had found myself at the mercy of the supernova that was Clark Kent.

 _I pushed myself into my studies so much that I hadn't been able to go visit home and I was man enough to admit that I missed my family. Yes, I spoke with my mother every day but it wasn't enough. And I was starting to feel that that was the cause of my irritability…without mentioning that I hadn't been to my room in a couple of nights due to an assignment. Being a perfectionist didn't leave space for small things like eating or sleeping. And even if I could still go longer with that rhythm, I was actually happy when I delivered the project to the teacher and could actually manage to sleep a night in my bed._

" _What the fuck is this." I growled as soon as I walked inside the dorm only to find every surface available covered in papers._

" _Research." Farm-boy grinned completely unperturbed. I felt my eye twitch._

" _Why can't you do it on your own space?" I moved my index and middle finger to my temple to try to get rid of the headache that threatened to start._

" _Well, you haven't been around here so…" He shrugged before standing up and gathering his things._

" _Just keep away from my space." I went to sit at my desk not bothering to look at him._

" _Actually, could you help me with something?" I frowned and debated whether to indulge him or simply ignore him._

" _What." I spoke in the end hating that my brain could perfectly picture Alfred's stern voice telling me to, at least, be civil to people._

" _Well, I'm doing a piece in the mystical Court of Owls and being the named Prince of Gotham, I think you could help me with the insiders view about it." I blinked while my brain ran over that information. Yes, I knew that Clark was heading for a journalism mayor but I never thought that he was serious enough to even start scratching the surface of those kinds of stories. Or to even try to dig into Gotham's past._

" _And why make it about Gotham? Shouldn't you be doing something of your own home?"_

" _Well first, my home is Smallville…and other than the occasional meteor shower or the local fair, we don't have much to offer to a snobby journalist teacher. Also, I'm pretty sure that everyone will do some piece about Metropolis so I wanted to make something different." He shrugged and smiled that stupid smile of his. One thing I had noticed about him was that he was a complete boy scout. Always being nice to people and smiling and yeah, I hated that about him. It unsettled me. In my world, no one could be that good without some ulterior motive. "Will you help me?" I tapped the desk with my fingers thinking about all the work I had to do for my own research, but being honest, I was too tired and annoyed to continue._

" _It's a tale we tell our kids so they won't go looking for trouble at night."_

" _Come on, I'm sure you can do better than that." He huffed. I sighed and before my tired brain could process what my mouth was doing…I spoke the words my Dad had told me as a child._

 _Beware the court of owls…_

 _That watches all the time._

 _Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch,_

 _Behind granite and lime._

 _They watch you at your hearth,_

 _They watch you in your bed,_

 _Speak not a whispered word about them,_

 _Or they'll send the Talon,_

 _For your head._

 _Silence filled the room. I felt the air leave my lungs as I remembered my father telling me that little tale as he tucked me to sleep. It had been years since I had thought about it, since I had spoken about my father to someone other than my mother or Alfred…why had it felt so easy to do it with Clark?_

" _Wow." Clark had a big smile on his stupid face. "It gave me chills! This is fantastic!"_

" _You're not writing anything." I pointed out trying to get rid of the thick atmosphere that seemed to want to drown us._

" _Oh! I…don't need it…have some sort of photographic memory." He shrugged looking away. I frowned, it almost looked like he was ashamed of that._

" _Why journalism?" I found myself asking._

" _Why psychology?" He smiled making my frown deepen. I raised my eyebrow in a I-asked-first matter. He grimaced confirming one of my suspicions about him. Even with his joyful demeanor, he was as much as a loner as I was, and he hated speaking about himself. "School was easy…" He began before wincing. "Too easy." If he was truthful about his memory, I could imagine what it was._

" _I…can relate."_

" _I know." He grinned giving me a look that said that I was not the only one analyzing the other. "Bruce Wayne, the prince of Gotham. A guy that has more than enough money to buy this school…is studying psychology and criminal law. And not just to get a degree…oh no, that guy is a total workaholic and is actually studying. Why would he do that?" His all too blue eyes locked into mine and I had to look away when a sudden feeling of nakedness overwhelmed me. No one had ever made me feel like this, like they could see all my deep dark secrets with just one look…no one but a fucking boy scout that seemed to have more than what met the eye._

" _To fix my city." I said hating how hoarse my voice sounded. This time, his smile was blinding._

" _Exactly."_

That dork with impossibly blue eyes had managed to dissect me in a way that no one could. And that did something to me. From that moment, I couldn't stop thinking about him, craving his voice, his insight.

" _I knew it!" I jumped and closed my laptop as soon as I could. Fuck. "Mister dark and broody watching Grey Ghost cartoons! I knew I liked you for a reason!" Wait, what?_

" _I-I…" I tried to force my brain to work as his beautiful and stupid face looked at me with mirth in his eyes._

" _The mad bomber, I love that episode but my favorite is the doll maker." He took my feet and pushed them up to sit himself in my bed and started speaking about why that episode was his favorite and how much he liked reading the comics as a kid. "…sorry."_

" _What for?" I blinked seeing his cheeks start to redden._

" _I got too excited, it's rare to find someone that actually sees the show." Just then I realized that the conversation had been pretty much one-sided because I had been too busy gawking at him._

" _No!" I sounded my throat cursing myself for reacting this way. "It's okay, I get what you're saying. I only started watching it because my dad was a fan but it's not something that other kids watched…" I shrugged._

" _I have popcorn, we could watch a couple of episodes together?" No. I have work. I need to focus on my mission. I…_

" _Okay."_

Grimacing, I shook my head hoping to get rid of all the memories that kept playing in my mind like a loop hole. Deciding that I might as well be truth to what I told Diana, dialed my mother's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom."

"Bruce! Hi son, how are you?"

"I'm good…I was wondering, are you free to have dinner?"

"Of course! Bring the boys over, Alfred was telling me that it's been a while since he made some cherry pies. I guess that will bring the boys around more often." I frowned.

"Don't they call you?"

"Of course they do! Dickie and Jay almost daily. Timmy never misses his Tuesday call and Dami, well I do see him every day. But it's been a while since we had a nice full family dinner." I huffed a laugh.

"Sometimes I think I have too many children." I told her thinking of how the hell had I come to this point. Clark sure loved to tease me about my orphan-picking tendencies.

And again, I was thinking about that damn Boy Scout.

"Well at least they are house broken…most of the time." She laughed a little. "Oh! You should invite Clark!" I opened my mouth to tell her that he probably was busy –not that I knew for sure- but she beat me to it. "Well I have to go. I'll wait for all of you at seven. Love you!" And she hung up.

Perfect.

Sighing I dialed Dick's number "Dinner at grandma's." I told him.

"Nice! Do you want me to pick Damian from school?"

"Sure why not."

"Okeydokey. Will you call Tim and Jay?"

"Sure."

"Good, well I have to go into a quick meeting. I'll tell Barbs…I'll see you later!" And he hung up. Rolling my eyes at my oldest son's antics. I dialed Jason's number.

Straight to voicemail.

"Jay, dinner at grandma's. You better bring your ass over." I hung up and dialed Tim's number while I took the highway that would lead me to the manor.

"Did you know that the average talker sprays about 300 microscopic saliva droplets per minute, about 2.5 droplets per word?" I blinked hearing my second youngest voice. Tim spewing random facts only meant one thing: Total sleep deprivation. That kid had a hard time controlling himself over finals.

"Son. How many?" In his state, little Timmy became a total caffeine crack.

"18." I chocked on my own saliva. I was about to turn the car around and head into Gotham Academy to bring that crazy kid to the hospital when he continued speaking. "18! 18 acres of pizza is what an American eats! How does that work?" Feeling my heart race I turned the car to stop at the side of the road while I pinched the bridge of my nose. Definitely too many children for a sane middle aged man.

"Tim."

"Yes?" His attention span in this state was almost none-existent so I had to be as clear as possible.

"Is Conner there?" And there was the dreamy sigh. Well at least I was not the only Wayne affected by the Kent charm.

"He's in the bathroom." I snorted.

"We're going to have dinner at the manor, please ask him to take you there. Or at least get you in a cab. I really don't want you driving right now."

"I'm guessing he's invited to stay?"

"Yes…"

"Awesome! Hey Conner! Hurry up we're going to have Alfred's for dinner!" I heard some movement before the line was gone. At least he didn't forget to hung up this time…I did not want to hear any kind of compromising noises from my kids, thank you very much.

Sighing, I was about to go back driving when my phone rang.

"You better bring your ass over. I hear Alfred will do some cherry pie." I began thinking that Jason was returning my call.

"With an invitation like that, how could I decline?" I felt myself freeze when Clark's voice rang through the speakers.

No. No!

"I-I thought you were Jason." My hands grasped the steering wheel while my heart threatened to jump out of my chest. It had been almost a three months since we saw each other and something as simple as hearing his voice sent shivers down my spine…I was so fucking gone for him.

"I gathered that…"

"What do you want?" I winced hating how brusque I sounded.

"Not in a good mood, are we?" Yes, I could work with that. He more than anyone knew how much of an ass I could be when the job got too close to me.

"No. What do you need Clark?"

"This weekend is my mother's cake sale…she wants to know if you're still going?" I closed my eyes when a small hopeful note filled his voice. He knew I was avoiding him, he knew that something was up with me. This was just a fucking test to see the extent of whatever was going on with me. I didn't want to be rude to Martha, but I was not sure I could see him face to face. I was too unstable to act like an actual human being…a small defeated sigh interrupted my musings. I blinked realizing that the next sound I heard was the beep of a finished call.

I felt my chest tighten and my breath to falter. This was so fucked up.

" _Come on rich boy! You can run faster than that!" I huffed before sprinting behind that crazy ball of energy. We were spending the weekend at his parent's farm. It had been refreshing, fun and simply amazing. Most of the time it had been just the two of us doing whatever we wanted. From helping Jonathan with the usual chores and going to the lake, to running around the crops…like now._

" _How…are you…even real?" I stopped running. I felt an idiotic smile on my face as I pressed my hand to my side. I was at my limit and the idiot was barely breaking a sweat. That shouldn't be possible. "You are not…human! You're a crazy alien that powers up by the sun or something…definitely not human." He laughed well naturedly before striking a superhero pose, with his fisted hands on his hips and a big smile._

" _Call me Superman!" I barked a laugh._

" _That is the stupidest name I have ever heard!" He raised an unamused eyebrow. "It suits you." I shrugged earning a smile before he launched himself at me. We wrestled in the grass for a moment before I put my judo training to use and ended up with him on the floor and my foot on his chest._

" _Come on mister superhero. I'm starving." I helped him up and my heart did at flip when I saw those sapphire eyes looking at me._

" _If I'm the day. Then you are the night…The dark knight." He whispered. I felt dizzy. Why did he have to say shit like that? Why did he have to make it so hard to not reach and kiss him?_

" _You're insane." I snorted and walked away._

I had fooled myself into thinking that I would be able to always walk away from him. He was too important to me to risk. So I decided to leave my feelings untouched. Letting myself be distracted by other people, always being careful of choosing women that had personalities that had nothing to do with him…not that finding someone else like him was an easy task.

It had worked for years. I had almost believed that we could be like that forever. Maybe not having all that I wanted from him, but having the second best.

Until Lois Lane decided to barrel into his life like a tornado.

" _A date!" I kept looking at my coffee cup. This…this was good. This was a way out. This…hurt like a fucking bitch._

" _Well, the boy scout will finally have some action!" I smirked at him. He laughed before his eyes got a faraway look…his smile turning wistful.  
"I really like her B…I really do."_

I took a shaky breath. Two years ago he had gone on a date with the award winning journalist. And three months ago, he had come to me, giddy with excitement to announce that he was about to propose. I had felt like puking while I told him how happy I was for him. My insides had twisted and my breath caught when he had shown me the ring he wanted to give her…it had all been too much. Defeated, I had decided that it was time to put some distance between us.

Taking a deep breath, I school my expression into something less pitiful. I really hoped my mother and Alfred wouldn't ask.

"Bruce, you look awful." Too much for not asking. I shook my head before giving my mother a hug. "I really wish to tell you to stop working this hard, but you are your father's son." She gave me a small and sad smile, just like every time she spoke about my father.

"You look beautiful as ever." I kissed her cheek.

"Come on you little charmer!" She took my arm walking us to the kitchen where I could hear Alfred cooking.

"Hello Alfred."

"Good evening Master Bruce."

"Is everybody coming?" My mother asked.

"The only one I'm having trouble reaching is…"

"Your favorite son, of course!" Jason spoke from his perch in the kitchen's island. I rolled my eyes, of course he was the first one here.

"I have no favorites. I hate you all equally." I grasped his shoulder before I sat next to him.

"Nah…I really think you love your little demon brat more. If you didn't you would've probably sent him back to the middle east in a blink."

"Jason Wayne!" I had to put a hand over my smile at the terrified look on Jason's face. No one dared to ignite their grandmother's ire.

"I'm kidding! Come on, I love the little spawn!" She raised her eyebrow and the moron shrugged plastering an innocent smile on his face before standing up and kissing her cheek.

"Really, there are too many boys in this house. Bruce, please try thinking about adopting some girls next time." My mother smiled while taking out some tea cups.

"Well, Dick will probably bring Barbara. So there's a girl."

"What about Selina?" I glared at Jason when he snorted so loud, he almost choked on his tea.

"We're taking some time."

"Oh, that's too bad. She was different…but I did like her." I hummed seeing Alfred raise his eyebrow from the stove.

"Is Mister Kent coming?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Tim will bring Conner, yes."

"Wrong Kent, B!" Jay supplied helpfully.

"You are getting higher and higher on the hate-meter son." He simply winked at me. I really needed to review my life choices.

"I will have Father know about this! This is unacceptable!" Speaking about life choices.

"Damian, not so loud." The little ball of rage stomped his way to his grandmother, kissed her cheek and then walked to stand in front of me. "What is it?"

"He speaks about her all the time! I thought it was his girlfriend!" Dick's voice interrupted his speech. I raised an eyebrow at my youngest son.

"Oh my God!" And of course Jason had to make things worse. "The brat has a crush!"

"Shut your face!" I had to physically grasp Damian's little body before it collided with his brother's much bigger frame.

"Damian. Behave." I was so glad my cop voice still worked in the boys. "Now, what's the problem?"

"I was speaking with Maps and he came to us and asked if I wanted to take my girlfriend to dinner! In front of her!" I grimaced. Yes, I could understand Damian's rage.

"Dick…"

"I'm sorry!" He displayed the biggest pair of puppy eyes I had ever seen on him, but Damian was unmoved.

"Dami." We all turned to Barbara who had been lunging in the entrance during all this drama. "Did you notice that she didn't deny that and she honestly looked like she wanted to be invited here?" All looks turned to the younger Wayne. Whom was currently gaping and turning an alarming shade of red.

"You gotta show me that trick." Tim said while he took off his coat. I heard a small growl from my side before Damian walked to sit next to his grandmother. "How is the light of this crazy house?" He kissed his grandmother "It smells delicious Alfred."

"Glad your nose is still working Master Tim." The butler stepped to the island and began serving the food.

"In the kitchen?" Dick asked with a smile.

"Yes, we're already in here and Alfred refuses to sit in the dining room." My mother smiled before helping the butler set the dishes…not giving mind to the long suffering sigh coming from said butler.

I couldn't help but smile fondly at the scene unraveling in front of me. After that lowlife thief had murdered my father, I had thought that my family would be broken forever. That it was going to be my mother and me against the world. I was glad I had been wrong.

First, there was Alfred. He had barely started working for us, replacing his father and quickly making his way into our small circle. Now, I couldn't picture a family reunion without him around… honestly speaking, he was as much of a father to me as Thomas had been.

When I was twenty five, the kids began to arrive. First Dick, with all his joviality and childish smiles had brought a new light into our manor. Four years later, a kid had tried to steal the wheels of my car and Jason had entered the picture. Two more years and Tim had barreled his way through…I was barely starting to make amends with being parent of three teenagers when Talia had dropped the little bomb.

I looked at them with pride. Dick and Barbara were perched in one of the corners of the island. He had his arms around her shoulders and was looking at her like she was the last drop of water on earth. He was currently working in the Bludhaven PD and he was so good at what he did, that I could honestly see him on the road of becoming the next Commissioner for the city. Next to them, Tim and Conner were having a big discussion with Jason, I pay them no mind being that they were arguing over the educational values of Adventure time…I really hated that cartoon.

Jason was adamant on his mission of becoming a Navy Seal, and judging from his weapon skills he could manage to do it just fine. And Tim was in college studying Criminal Law and Economics, my mother and I were pretty sure that he would be the one taking over Wayne Enterprises when we were gone.

Finally, there was Damian. Currently wreaking havoc in Gotham Academy and vocalizing how he was going to become a detective like me…and then be better than I could ever be.

If he kept things going, he could actually do it.

"Bruce, is Clark coming over? Do we wait for him to start with the pie?" Three hours. Three hours of peace before he was dragged into my life again.

"No, he was busy." And I was victim of the feared Wayne scrutiny, times six.

"You're lying." Dick widened his eyes before turning to look at Conner.

"I-I don't think I should be around for this talk." Conner said in a panicked voice. Tim stood up and took his hand.

"We'll be in the garden…Dick, Jay, you better tell me what happens!" They walked out of the kitchen while I grimaced.

"What is going on Bruce?" I swallowed unable to meet my mother's eyes.

"Nothing." Martha Wayne was not an easy woman to fool. So she let out a sigh before standing up and taking me by the arm.

"Let's go to the library, okay? Alfred, please save some pie for us!" I stood up and followed her rolling my eyes at Dick's and Jason's exclamations of 'Not fair!' "Okay, I ask again. What is going on?" Her pale blue eyes looked at me. Even if I saw them each time I looked in the mirror, mine could never be as piercing as hers.

"He is…" I sounded my throat. "He's getting married."

"Oh son." And with those two words I knew that she was aware of all that was going on with me. That she had probably known for far longer than I had. She walked to stand in front of me and caressed my cheek. "How long have you known?"

"Three months…the last time I saw him was when he showed me the ring." I felt my body tremble. It was even worst saying it out loud.

"And now you're avoiding him." She let out a harsh sigh. I frowned looking at her. "You are your father's son."

"Care to elaborate?"

"When I asked him on a date, he freaked out and didn't speak to me for a month." She smiled. "When you came from MU and started ranting about your idiot of a roommate…I felt that same social panic in you."

"I am not socially awkward mother." I gave her an unimpressed look.

"But you are. Just like your father. Maybe not with the average person…but when someone is close to home, you pull up all your walls and run away." I gaped at her.

"I do not run!"

"Then what are you doing now?" She put her hands on her hips.

"I'm giving him space! He was to think about Lois and I…I have to get over him."

"Son, you have been with many women in almost fifteen years. Do you really think you can stop loving him?" I took a step back feeling like she had punched me. Take it to my mother to make me feel like shit with all of this.

"W-why are you telling me this?"

"Because I think that you should tell him how you feel." I shook my head.

"Mom…"

"He loves you." I froze. "He looks at you the same way you look at him…He might be engaged, but he is not married yet." I blinked. She could not be saying that.

"I won't do that to him…"

"My son, is the eight year old that told me that he was going to be the best detective in Gotham and that he was going to fix his city. The kid that promised me that he would see that no other mother would suffer as I did…where is that kid? My son would go and look for what he wants." Ashamed, I looked away from her. "Remember when you first came to me about adopting Dick?"

"I always thought that you were curiously supportive…"

"Because, deep inside…I always saw you ending up with Clark. So I had no hopes for a blood son." And well, that was that.

"What do you want me to do mother?!"

"Call him. Go to him. Do whatever you need but look for your own happiness for once!" I pressed my lips together before walking to her and hugging her.

"Thank you."

"I'm here every time you need." She kissed my cheek. "Come on, we need that pie."

We walked back to the kitchen and feeling crazy by my mother's speech. I pulled out my phone and texted Clark.

 **Can we talk?**

I saw his status change to 'writing' at least four times before he actually sent anything.

 _ **Will you explain why you've been avoiding me?**_

I pressed the phone to my forehead. Of course he was going to barrel on like that.

 **Yes.**

 _ **Lunch at my place.**_

Well. Not going back now.

I was standing right outside his door after one of the worst nights of my life. I had pictured every scenario in my head. And while I didn't share my mother's hope in Clark's feelings I was not backing down. I took a deep breath and knocked.

"Since when do you knock?" Came as an answer and I smiled feeling breathless. Details like that were the first ones I told myself to change. Grimacing, I opened the door and walked inside.

I looked around. It looked the same as it always had. Maybe Lois hadn't moved in yet.

I sighed shaking my head. If I kept my hopes at bay, this would probably not hurt as much.

"What?"

"Huh?" Very eloquent Wayne. I turned to see Clark on the kitchen looking at me with an amused expression.

"Forget it…come on." He sat at the table. There were a couple of sandwiches and orange juice served at the table. I sounded my throat and pulled out the container my mom had sent for him.

"Alfred's cherry pie." I explained putting it on the table and sitting on my usual place.

"Connor told me that he went into a family dinner last night." He sat in front of me and I felt my throat tighten. I was not ready to deal with his eyes just yet, so I kept my eyes on the window behind him.

"Tim was on caffeine dose. He asked Conner to take him to the manor and he stayed." I shrugged. At least that was the truth. Clark hummed and an awkward silence fell at the table. It had been years since that had happened to us. I could feel his gaze on me. He was not going to make this easy. I had to be the one coming forward. To take the first step. "How is Lois?"

"She's fine. Currently in Africa doing a piece on a warrior tribe." I nodded taking a bite from my sandwich. It tasted like dirt in my mouth.

"So…" I swallowed and went for the Band-Aid treatment. "When's the wedding?"

"Well…" Hearing a new tone in his voice I turned to look at him. He was giving me an unsettling smirk. "She had to leave for Africa, so we took a plane to Vegas and got married two days after I proposed." I felt a spasm run through my body, but I couldn't break. Not yet.

"Oh wow! Congratulations!" I steeled myself before I looked at him. "I'm happy for you." He held my gaze for a moment before letting out a harsh breath.

"Bullshit!" My jaw hit the floor. In all of our years knowing each other I had never heard him swear like that.

"Excuse me?"

"Bull-shit. Bruce, cut the crap and tell me the truth." I frowned looking at him like he was insane.

"What truth? I am happy for you…you love her and it's natural that you married each other." Truth, I was not vane, I did wish for him to be happy even if it was not with me.

"For fucks sake!" He stood up and walked to the living room. I was confused.

"Clark, what on earth is going on with you?" I stood up to follow him.

"That was what you were going to explain." He turned around and glared at me. I always joked about how he was the Sun, how he usually kept a smile on his face. But for that same reason, when he got mad, seeing his chiseled jaw pressed, his eyes turn a shade darker and his body show all that hidden strength…it was a sight to behold.

"Are you really married?" Now that my brain could process his words, I actually noticed how stupid was the thought of him marrying someone away from his parents, he was just not wired that way. He regarded me in silence for a few heartbeats before shaking his head.

"Then why lie to me?" I demanded feeling betrayed.

"Because if you hadn't been avoiding me for three months you would've known that she refused!" He yelled before passing his hand through his hair.

"What? Is she insane?!" How could she reject him like that?

"She's probably the only sane one." He walked forward turning his eyes upwards to look at me. Sometimes I forgot that I was a couple of inches taller than him. He had a way of making you forget that he was not the biggest guy around. "Will you answer me?"

"Because I couldn't stand it." I whispered. His eyes narrowed. "Because even if I want you to be happy…I'm miserable seeing you with her."

"Bruce…"

"Because ever since we shared a room ages ago…I've been completely gone for you. My best friend. The person I think about each minute of the day, the person that I want to run to when something happens in my life. The person I saw myself growing old with. And I know, I know you don't feel the same way…" I looked away hating how my voice had caught at those words. "So I made myself be happy, be happy with whatever you could give me…" He was wearing the most stunned look I had seen. His beautiful eyes wide open and his breaths shallow. I knew I was putting him in the worst position, but I had to get this out. "And for years it was enough…until Lois came along. And she had all that I had always wanted…and I couldn't. I'm sorry but I couldn't do it any longer. I needed to gather my wits, to get a grip…" I sighed sitting on the couch behind me. "I'm sorry." I felt drained. All that was for me to wait. I looked at him pass his hands through his face before he let out what I could name as a frustrated growl.

"You are the stupidest person I know."

"I didn't chose this." I frowned seeing him kneel in front of me. His eyes were moist but they had a brightness that I hadn't noticed that had been gone before now.

"Oh I know. If it was up to you, you wouldn't love anyone and be married to Justice." He let out a breathless laugh. "You are stupid and I'm an idiot." His hands moved forward to cup my face. My heart gave a painful beat while I tried to stop the swelling of hope inside of me. "When I asked her to marry me, she told me that she was not a second serving…that she wanted to be number one…I already had my number one, but he was so unattainable that I never even harbored hope for that to be real. But then…" He put his forehead against mine and I had to grasp his forearms. I needed to feel that this was real, that it was actually him. That he was looking at me like I was something precious, like he was feeling all that I felt. "Then you began avoiding me. It was farfetched, it was crazy but I could feel myself starting to hope. I know you, better than anyone. Just like you know me. And that part of me was the one telling me that that was just how you would react…" I laughed before launching for his lips.

Kissing him was all that I had ever imagined and more, so much more. His soft lips moved against mine, softly at first. Like he was also afraid of this not being real, of waking up from a cruel dream. But he seemed to make up his mind and in one second his kiss changed. Taking everything I could give him and giving me more in return. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. In all the scenarios I had pictured in my mind, I had never imagined this.

"Wait…" I pulled away and was faced with a pair of confused blue eyes. "Clark, I love you." His answering smile was bright enough for me to rethink about my theory of him not being human. He was too beautiful and perfect for that.

"Bruce, I love you too."


End file.
